Friday, February 3, 2012

Making plans for 2012

I started an entry a couple of weeks ago about how much 2012 had sucked thus far, but it was so negative I didn't publish it. To sum it up: 4 week cough, car accident, asshole, stolen wallet and keys....I think that's about it. But things don't always get worse, and in the past week or so, things have been pretty darn good. 2012 running plans are shaping up well, and I guess I should consider myself pretty damn fortunate to be running the races I get to run. Some of the high points: I found out last week that I am definitely on the USA 100K team for the World Championships in Italy in April, I bit the bullet and submitted my Comrades entry, and I made it through the UTMB lottery. My schedule may just kick my ass or cripple me, and parts of it might be ill-advised (Comrades 3 weeks out from Western States), but it'll be fun if it all works out.

Feb 4, Orcas Island 50K
My birthday is the day after, and what better way to celebrate a birthday than on the sunny San Juan Islands in February?

Feb 25, Ray Miller 50 miler
Squeezing this one in on the back end of a two-week work trip to Nairobi. I may be well tapered unintentionally as training in Nairobi sucks.

April 22, World 100K Championship
We've got a great (and fun) team and I'm really excited for this one. Break out the bunhuggers! The race is a 20K loop x 5 through the streets of Seregno, Italy (near Milan), which sounds slightly more fun than a 10K loop run 10 times. I'm looking to break into the top 7 (OK, a wee bit random) after an 11th place finish in 2011, and to help the US women bring home the gold. Time to get this butt into bunhugger shape.

June 3, Comrades Marathon
It's a downhill year, and after going uphill last year, I just can't say no, despite the fact that it's expensive as heck to get there, and is only 3 weeks before Western States. It'll either be the perfect final quad trashing, or it'll completely trash my quads for WS, but it's gonna be fun. I was only in South Africa for 3 days last year surrounding the race, as I was squeezing it in during a work trip, so look forward to spending a few more days this year, although it'll still be a quick trip.

June 24, Western States
Excited to be back at WS. Training for this one will not be ideal with Worlds and Comrades as the build-up, but I'll continue to do a fair amount of my miles on trails and spend some time climbing through the spring.

July 28 TBD 50 miler
Likely White River, as it's got more climbing than the Mt. Hood 50. They're both relatively local. I've done them both and they're both great events.

Aug 31, UTMB
I'd like to call this my focus, but I kinda suck at climbing, so this one could suck royally. I do love going down, and this has got equal parts of both, and I'm really looking forward to the views. It sounds like this one turns into one royal suffer-fest for most, and I look forward to experiencing what seems to be quite different than what I'm used to.

I'm not sure after UTMB, but will figure it out as I go along. Maybe a break. With trips for Worlds, Comrades, and UTMB and a few days thrown in there for States, I'll be staying close to home after August as my vacation days, while generous, will only support so many of these things.

It's going to be a fun year! Although I have to say it all looks a bit overwhelming. And training specificity is getting thrown out the window (not that I ever pay much attention to it) because these events run the gamut in terms of types of races (flat road to steep trail). Let the fun begin!

About Me

I'm a member of the Montrail-Mountain Hardwear Team and a proud, though distant, member of the Virginia Happy Trails Running Club (VHTRC)--truly a class act. I've been running since I was 11, running ultras since late 2006, and look forward to many more years of running. I moved to Portland, Oregon in November 2009 after almost 6 years in DC, and plan to be an Oregonian for life, with maybe a few brief stints around the world thrown in to keep life in balance.